Systolic Hypertension in Patients with Arteriosclerosis Obliterans of the Lower Limbs

Abstract

Intraarterial blood pressure, brachial artery compliance and diameter, and pulse wave velocity were determined in 20 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans of the lower limbs (AOD) in comparison with 10 age- and sex-matched controls. With the same mean arterial pressure as in controls, patients with AOD exhibited a significant increase in systolic pressure and decrease in diastolic pressure, resulting in an increase in pulse pressure. While brachial artery diameter and pulse wave velocity remained nearly within the normal range, arterial compliance was significantly reduced and was negatively correlated with the level of pulse pressure. The study provided evidence that: (1) atherosclerotic modifications in patients with AOD are associated with an increase in pulse pressure, which predominates on the increase in mean arterial pressure, (2) increased pulse pressure is related to decreased arterial compliance, which reflects intrinsic modifications of the viscoelastic properties of the arterial wall.